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Innovative Design Concepts:
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By request, I am updating this page . . . Celebrating 10 Years of Web Site Design! Who is Carolyn Von Ahnen, owner of Innovative Design Concepts? I am a work from home mother of 2, and currently have a client base of 40+ customers. I am currently working with 3 computer / technology firms to help their clients also develop web sites. Many of my clients have been with me since 1998! My goal is to help small businesses reach the masses via the internet, by constructing web sites that are easy to navigate and that rank well with the search engines. I work Monday - Friday until it's time to pick the children up from school each day, or in the summer until about noon each day. Who am I personally? Well, I wear many hats, as I am a very hands-on parent who gets very involved with my children in all types of activities that will help them grow into well rounded, good mannered adults. In 2007, I was elected as the new PTA President of the Elementary School - but resigned due to health reasons in the Spring of 2008. I am currently serving as the PTA Advisory. As I have for the past 4 years, I'll continue to serve as a Girl Scout Assistant Leader AND Teach the Kindergarten Religious Ed Class (PREP CCD) for our Catholic Church (this summer will be my first year teaching in our Vacation Bible School classes). I serve on the Executive Committee of my daughter's Dance Troupe and have undertaken the graphic arts job as our Program Book Designer, this year my little girl wants to join the competition dance team, which means more nights of practice and traveling on weekends to compete! I attend weekly Private Guitar Lessons and Snare Drum Music Lessons at the middle school with my Son. Oh yes, fall is coming, so let's not leave out Soccer practices twice a week, and weekend games to attend. I enjoy being busy and involved with my children, but I also really enjoy my husband's hobby of Drag Racing! Yes, he drag races in the NMCA and we travel to watch him compete in the races. We attend as many races as we can, so we can support Daddy! My hobby is scrapbooking! My parents kept a drawer in thier bedroom filled with packets of photos taken throughout our lives - no notes on them - many places & people in them are a virtual mystery to me! I promised when I had children that their photos would never be a guessing game! I try to put the photos on pages that including journaling about who/what/when/where/why.... I hope when they grow up they'll appreciate the hours that went into keeping the memories alive for them. I love this hobby so much I've been a Creative Memories Consultant for 5 years now - check out my other web site: www.mycmsite.com/cvonahnen And when I am not busy a being wife and mother . . . I enjoy creating, designing & working with my clients on their web site projects! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me! I hope we'll get the opportunity to work together on your web site project! |
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About Carolyn Von Ahnen, owner IDC
Not long after my web designing career began, my Interland Account Manager asked me to write an article for their newsletter. I was asked to focus on Working from Home with my two little children at my feet. I hesitated, but did eventually write the requested article...and too my surprise...they published it back in June 2000 in the Interland Reseller Newsflash in the Reseller Corner section. |
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June
2000 - The
Reseller Corner
This is My Day I sneak out of bed before the little ones awake (hoping to get some work done without interruptions), fire up the system, quickly glance over and answer e-mail, and then the work begins: Typesetting - Layout - Design. Uh oh, here comes the pitter-patter of little feet - it's the baby still half asleep! She climbs into my lap at the computer, and I keep tapping away at the keyboard while she slowly awakens in my arms. Now it's time for a brief break because she needs chocolate milk, and just in time, here comes big brother. He'd like some milk too! They sit together and watch their educational TV shows on PBS and eat some cereal while Mom is busy making some phone calls. Okay, it is time to hit the showers! Everyone gets cleaned up and dressed. The phone is ringing again, and it's one of my clients, I hush the kids and take the call, I immediately accesses their web site and process some updates! My name is Carolyn Von Ahnen and this is my DAY. I own and operate Innovative Design Concepts, a Web Site Design firm based in Southern New Jersey. (Yes, they insisted on my picture, that's me in photo above) I started out in the office supply industry 13 years ago, where I quickly learned the art of typesetting, layout and design. I went on to initiate a printing division for the office product company that I worked for. I met a wonderful man and moved on to bigger adventures...getting married. Marriage took me far away from my wonderful creative job. I took a customer relations job near my new home. Although it paid well, I had to sacrifice my creativity. A few years later, I decided to go back to school to brush up on my printing skills and learn the newest technology. So I enrolled in a year-long graphic occupations course at Salem County Vo-Tech, where I earned the honor of becoming the first student to design the monthly school newsletter and received various honors and awards. Excited about working again and utilizing all of my newfound skills, just a few months before graduation I became pregnant! I graduated with honors, had a beautiful baby boy and became a fulltime Mom and Wife. The career will have to go on hold again. Luckily for me, a few years later my father approached me and asked me if I could "make him a Web site" for his catering business. He figured it couldn't be too hard for someone with my background to do just that. Thanks to Microsoft FrontPage I have developed a budding career! Today my father has a primary Web site, 4 mirror sites, and we are currently building an e-commerce bridal shop! I researched Web hosts and found Interland, who has proven to be one of my most valuable Web management tools! I am proud to declare to my clients that I offer hosting through Interland, and when they ask why, I tell them because Interland offers the most reliable uptime guarantee around and has the best tech support team! Interland's customer service is available 24/7, allowing me to provide my clients with superior support! Now with the additions of domain registration, shopping cart programs and credit card processing agents, I don't have to shop around for the best deals. I simply call my Account Manager to access the valuable resources Interland has to offer! I am currently a member of the HTML Writers Guild & International Webmasters Association, both of which have wonderful resources and educational courses available for new and experienced Web designers. I am continuing my education constantly. I want to thank Interland, the HWG and the IWA for all of their help, encouragement and support! I am at home with my two beautiful little children, sitting at my computer desk, (which is located in their playroom), and I have the opportunity to watch them learn and play. Meanwhile, I am getting to be creative and interact with adults. And the best part is while I am here with the kids, I am my own boss, I set my own hours, and I can make money - all at the same time! I have completed 16 Web sites, over 75 individual Single Web Page Advertisements and I have three signed contracts to begin work. The kids are not in daycare, and I am working at home - life is good! Thanks to all of My Clients for Understanding and Appreciating my Work-at-Home Status, and for allowing me to be a Mom and a Web Site Designer too!! |
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